Hartford Audit Commission May Hire Independent Attorney

September 24, 2013|By JENNA CARLESSO, jcarlesso@courant.com

HARTFORD — — Members of the city's internal audit commission want to hire an independent attorney to consult with on legal matters.

The commission currently works with lawyers in Hartford's Office of the Corporation Counsel, including the city's top attorney, Saundra Kee Borges. But auditors said they are concerned that the relationship poses a conflict, because Kee Borges also serves as acting chief operating officer and is a close adviser to Mayor Pedro Segarra.

Members said Kee Borges and others may be protecting the mayor's interests above those of the commission.

"I don't feel they're representing us. I feel they are representing the administration or others," Commissioner Bruce Rubenstein said. "We feel there have been several conflicts of interest raised because of corporation counsel's relationship with whoever we're investigating.

"If we're an independent board, we should have independent counsel."

The commission will consider the matter at its meeting Wednesday and possibly vote on drafting a resolution or ordinance to submit to the city council. Auditors did not have a figure for how much it would cost to retain the outside attorney. They would seek city money to pay for it.

In recent correspondence with Rubenstein, Kee Borges and the city's deputy corporation counsel, L. John Van Norden, said they had concerns with a commission report that is critical of the city and the operator of two Hartford golf courses.

The report faults the operator, MDM Golf Enterprises, for failing to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in capital improvements — allowing Keney and Goodwin golf courses to fall into disrepair — and for cutting down trees without the proper permission. It also cites the city's public works department for a lack of oversight.

In an e-mail to Rubenstein, Kee Borges said information about public safety hazards and "the statutory obligations of others" shouldn't be included in the report.

"The auditor is not in a position to opine on statutory obligations or what matters are violations of building, health or other codes or what poses a health risk to the public," she wrote.

"I disagree with some of the findings in the report concerning legal liabilities and statutory conclusions, but don't have the authority to call for another auditor to review the appropriateness of those statements and conclusions."

She added: "I have not asked that the report not be issued. I am simply stating my objections and concerns for the record."

But Rubenstein said he believes Kee Borges and Van Norden are protecting the administration's interests and their opinions are "meant to infringe [on] our independent work."

"They don't want the city to look bad," he said. "They want to bottle us up and pretend everything is fine.

"We're not about to do that. We're going to present the facts as we see it and let the public decide."